Estimated reading time: 5 minutes
Breast milk is the best food you can give your baby! It is specifically designed for your baby’s nutrition, development, and immunity. Given the superpowers of breast milk, it might surprise you when your pediatrician recommends you give your newborn baby a vitamin D supplement. You might think, “Wait a second! I thought breast milk was practically perfect? Why do Breastfed Babies Need vitamin D?” Let’s shine some light on the reasons behind this recommendation and how you can ensure your baby gets the right amount.
Vitamin D is crucial for everyone, but it’s especially important for babies, as it helps build strong bones and teeth. It plays a significant role in the absorption of calcium and phosphorus, two minerals that your baby needs for healthy bone development. It’s also essential for immune function, muscle strength, and brain development.
Some researchers are also beginning to correlate vitamin D deficiency and the following (3):
Limited Vitamin D in Breast Milk: While breast milk is the best source of nutrition for infants, it doesn’t contain enough vitamin D to meet your baby’s daily needs. This isn’t about the quality of your breast milk; it’s just the nature of vitamin D.
Limited Sun Exposure: Our bodies produce vitamin D when exposed to sunlight. However, newborns and infants don’t typically spend much time in direct sunlight (which is also not recommended due to their sensitive skin).
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that both breastfed and partially-breastfed babies should supplement with 400IU of vitamin D each day, beginning when baby is a few days old. This supplementation should continue until baby either switches to a Vitamin-D fortified formula or fortified cow’s milk, sometime after baby’s first birthday.
You can buy a liquid vitamin D supplement for your baby at any drug store. After a few months, your pediatrician might recommend you switch to a liquid multivitamin that includes vitamin D.
Recent studies explore the idea of supplementing moms with lots of vitamin D to see if enough vitamin D will pass on to their breastfed babies. These studies are still relatively new and debated, and the AAP still recommends you supplement your breastfed baby.
That said, you should still be mindful your own vitamin D levels, mama. Another study reported that 81% of women of childbearing age have insufficient levels of vitamin D. Yikes! You can get more vitamin D through some safe time in the sun, eating certain foods, or taking a supplement.
Once your baby starts eating solid foods, you can start enriching his vitamin D intake through food. Some examples of foods with vitamin D include the following:
Put those vitamin D drops in a specific spot, so it will become a simple habit to give to your baby. For example, you can put the drops by the changing table and give them at each morning diaper change. Or you can put them in a kitchen cabinet and give them after you eat breakfast. You do you!
It’s still true—breast milk is the best option for your baby. Vitamin D is a nutrient none of us typically get from food alone, so we need to supplement it for our sweet little ones. Your baby needs those strong bones! Above all, remember, you are keeping a little human being alive and healthy. You are amazing!
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Breast milk is the best food you can give your baby! It is specifically designed for your baby’s nutrition, development, and immunity. Given the superpowers of breast milk, it might
